The Portraits in the Castle
by draco dominus
Summary: Each on their first night at Hogwarts, Harry's three children visit the headmaster's office to visit the portraits. Two in particular.
1. James Sirius Potter

James Sirius had his father's black hair, although it didn't stuck up at the back, he had his mother's loving brown eyes and his grandfather's mischievous smirk. It was the night of his first day of Hogwarts and he stood outside the headmistress' office. He knocked on the door and waited for the replying voice to allow him entry. Opening the door he stared around the room, it was as magnificent as his father had described. Though it was different in other ways, but those ways were small details that the current headmistress had changed. His eyes gazed around the room, flickering over the portraits that lined the walls. Some sleeping, other's watching him curiously wondering what a first year was doing in the headmistress' office on the first night of term. He closed the door behind him and glanced at the headmistress who was sitting behind her desk. She looked up at him with a smile and a nod. "Your father has told me the reason you are here, pretend I'm not."

"Alright Professor," he said with a Potter's smirk. He caught sight of the portrait sitting behind the desk. An old man with a long beard, and half moon glasses. The portrait was sleeping but Harry had told James that often they were only pretending.

"Dumbledore?" The boy asked, reading the name plate under the portrait.

"Professor Dumbledore," one of the other portraits interjected. James glanced around to see which portrait had reprimanded him, but he couldn't place it. When he turned back the piercing startling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore stared down at him through his half moon glasses.

"In trouble already?" He asked, although he smiling.

"Not yet," the boy said with an air that showed he expected he would be soon. Professor Dumbledore chucked. "Dad wrote to Professor McGonagall, and asked if we could visit the portraits."

"Did he?" Dumbledore asked curiously. "And who is your father child?" Though he already had a guess.

"Harry Potter," James said proudly.

"Ah," said Dumbledore smiling, there were murmurs from the other portraits as they moved around to get a closer look at the boy. At the same time the portrait next to Dumbledore who had been feigning sleep, eyes' flickered open and stared at him. James stared at the portrait of Severus' Snape. Whose dark eyes surveyed the boy, his mouth curled into a sneer. "A Potter?"

James stared at him defiantly. "What if I am?" He asked.

"With the trouble you Potter's attract, I would be surprised if the school was still standing at the end of the year."

The boy stared at him, and smirked. "A year? Far too long. What about a week?"

"James," McGonagall warned him, glancing up from her work.

"James?" Severus Snape said, his tone hard. He didn't think he would have ever had to deal with a second James Potter disgracing the halls of Hogwarts.

"Yes," replied the boy. "James Sirius Potter. Named after my grandfather, and his best friend." His tone was proud, and he stared at the portrait, expecting it to say something.

The portrait snorted and muttered something about how the boy who defeated Voldemort could surely think of names more creative than his father, and that father's best friend. It was worse to see another Potter, let alone one with the name James Sirius. There was something about the trademark smirk that despite how he looked very little like James Potter senior, that reminded him greatly of his tormentor.

"A Gryffindor I suppose?" He leered, wishing the boy would get out of his sight.

"Now Severus," Dumbledore said. "There is nothing wrong with Gryffindor house," he smiled cheerfully.

"For you perhaps," Severus muttered.

"Yes," James said with a nod, and narrowed eyes. "Gryffindor and proud."

"They always are," he muttered disdainfully.

"And what's that-" James started but McGonagall cut across him. "James, it is time you returned to your common room," she said.

"Yes Professor," he said, looking back to the portraits. "Goodbye Professor Dumbledore," he said. He looked sideways at Severus' Snape's portrait. "Snape. I expect I'll be up here again soon," he smiled mischievously and headed for the door.

"James," Dumbledore said, he turned around. "Sound our regards to your father."

"Our?" Echoed Severus.

"My," Dumbledore corrected.

"Will do. Goodnight Professor," he said to McGonagall and stepped out of the room.

"Minerva, what is your business allowing the boy up here?" Severus muttered. "Day one, and he'll go around the place acting like he owns it. As usual for Potters," he muttered contemptuously.

"Now Severus, Harry asked. He said that he wished the children meet the portraits, the both of you in particular."

"The both of us?" he seemed surprised.

"Yes," she said, her tone amused.

"Why the both of us."

"Oh, I believe you'll see in due course. Later rather than sooner I've afraid, a year to be exact. Unless young James spills the beans beforehand, I have a feeling we will be seeing rather a lot of him."

Severus Snape muttered something about Potter's walking around like they owned the place, and riling out mischief where ever they went and disappeared through his portrait to find out what students had been sorted into his house of Slytherin.


	2. Albus Severus Potter

Exactly a year had passed, during which James Sirius Potter had been sent to the headmistress' more times than he knew. He seemed to have picked up the troublesome traits that only a mix between a Weasley and a Potter could get. Half of the time the portrait of Severus Snape left the room, when he caught wind that the Potter boy would be forcing his presence upon them, other time he merely 'slept' and the rest he spent goading the boy about the fact that he seemed to have gotten into more trouble than the Weasley family combined.

This time it was Albus Severus who stood outside the headmistress' office. He was the image of his father, and grandfather with his grandmother's green eyes. Everyone he met said that he looked like his father, or his grandparents. The boy bit on his lip, and knocked on the door. Entering once he was allowed. "Thank-you for Professor," He said to Professor McGonagall. "I'll try not to keep you."

"Not at all, not at all. It isn't a bother." He stepped inside, and immediately heard "Harry Potter" whisper through the portraits, who was staring intently at him. Unlike with his brother, whom you had only noticed the likeness once you knew what to look for, it was obvious that the boy who had stepped through was a Potter.

Albus walked past all of the portraits, his eyes slowly moving from one to the other. Taking in all of the Hogwart's headmasters. James had talked about them, but it was something different seeing them himself. Some smiled at him, and he smiled shyly back. He reached the portrait behind the desk. "Professor Dumbledore," he said with a smile at the wizened headmaster, who smiled back cheerfully. Albus turned to glance at the next headmaster who was staring at him shrewdly, his expression full of dislike. Despite himself Severus made a noise in the back of his throat as Lily's eyes looked at him directly. Eyes he had not seen for twenty years, since he looked into the face of Harry Potter on his dying day. "Professor Snape Sir," he said nodding at the old headmaster, who said nothing, continuing to stare directly at the boy, his expression unreadable. Albus stared back at him. "My father sends his regards," Albus said to both him and Dumbledore. "And his thanks," he said directly to Severus.

"His thanks?" He snorted.

Albus shrugged. "I am merely passing on the message. He would like to thank-you for what you did for him, for his mother."

Something flashed across Severus' face that was instantly quelled. "And why are you the one to tell me this? And not your dear brother, who has had amble opportunity the past year?"

"Dad trusts me more to pass on important messages, and," he hesitated for a moment. "He thought it would be more fitting if I was the one to do it."

"Why? Because you look like your father?" Because you have her eyes.

The boy shook his head. "No," he said. "Maybe. I don't think. Because of who I am."

"You're a Potter like the rest of them," he muttered bitterly, turning away from Lily's eyes.

"Yes, but not just. Albus Severus Potter, at your service."

"Albus Severus?" Both Dumbledore and Severus repeated after him, Dumbledore was smiling, looking the tiniest bit abashed, his painted eyes welled up. Severus was again staring directly at the boy. "And why has he named you after us?"

"Because he admires you both greatly."

Severus scoffed. "He does not."

"Believe what you will Sir, but it is true. He said you were very brave. Braver than many people he has met."

The portrait seemed at a loss for words.

"Albus," Dumbledore said quietly. "What house were you sorted into."

"Slytherin," the boy replied.

"A fine house," Dumbledore told him.

Albus smiled. "Many think not. James thinks not. He was teasing me about it on the train, even before I was sorted"

"That boy is as Gryffindor as it is possible to be," Severus muttered sourly. "As bad as his grandfather."

Albus said nothing for a few moments. "I don't think so. Goodnight Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and the rest of the previous Hogwarts headmasters," he nodded at Professor McGonagall as he went to leave the room. "Good evening Professor, thank-you very much."

"Always a pleasure Albus."

"A lovely child," Dumbledore murmured once he had exited the room."Quite unlike his brother. I fear we won't be seeing him as much as Master James. What is wrong Severus?" he said as the man had been quiet.

"He has her eyes Albus," he said quietly. "Just like Harry. He looks exactly like him, but with her eyes," he shook his head. "I never would have thought I would have to go through that again. Albus Severus..." he trailed off, though still surprised that that boy had been his namesake.

"Albus Severus Potter," Dumbledore agreed. "Who looks very much like Harry, with Lily's eyes. A Slytherin," he added. "These children seem to be living up to their namesakes," he said sounding amused.

"These children will be the death of me," Severus murmured.

"But Severus, you are already dead."

"You know what I mean! His name, Albus, his eyes..." and as he had the previous year Severus Snape disappeared out of his portrait.

"They have another child," McGonagall murmured from her desk, staring at the blank back-ground of Severus' Snape. "She starts in two years."


	3. Lily Luna Potter

Two more years passed, and the elder of the Potter boys frequented the office far greater than the younger. Filling the ears of the portraits with wild tales that explained why he couldn't possibly behind the things that he was being called into the office for. The younger did sometimes snatch catches of the headmasters as they darted through the portraits around the school. Occasionally having a small conversation. This time Lily Luna stood on the threshold of the office. Lily Luna was petit with long red hair that had been cut only a few times through her life, like her brother she had her mother's brown eyes. She knocked on the door and entered the room, staring in awe. She smiled shyly at Professor McGonagall and continued to stare. She had not been in Hogwarts long at all, and already she knew that never again would she find herself in a place as magical as Hogwarts. The moving staircases, and feasts that appeared on tables, the literal magic. And the hidden magic. The aura that the castle had, that lit up the dreary halls, and filled up the students with wonder. She felt privileged that she would be able to spend seven years hidden away in the many secrets of the castle.

She stepped into the light, that illuminated her petit figure and out of the corner of her eye she saw one of the portraits bolt out of his frame. She stared, and then slowly frowned. Wondering what she had done to cause the portrait to leave on her account.

Albus Dumbledore smiled at her, and glanced at the empty portrait by his side. "Don't worry child," he said kindly. "It is not your doing. I will fetch him, it would be unfair to you otherwise."

"I will find him Albus," another of the portraits said. "You speak to the kind lady here," he smiled sweetly at Lily and disappeared out of his frame, to find the late Severus Snape. While she knew who her brother had been named after, it sounded weird to hear his name when not in the company of her brother.

"Hi," Lily said quietly, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

"Miss Potter," Dumbledore said with a nod. "How have you found Hogwarts so far?"

"Amazing," Lily murmured with a smile. "I can't believe I'll get to spend seven years here, it just…" she trailed off. Severus Snape slinked back into his portrait, looking disgruntled and stared down at the girl, who shied back. At first glance he had seen Lily Evans standing in the girl's place, thus the reason he had so quickly departed the room. Under close scrutiny the girl looked less like her grandmother than he had first thought. Her hair was richer, her frame different, the eyes brown. He breathed a sigh of a relief. If those brown eyes that were staring at him curiously had been green he would have turned around and walked straight out of his portrait again.

"Now Severus," Dumbledore murmured disapprovingly. "Be nice to the poor girl, she'll think you don't like her."

"Sometimes it seems as if you two are the only headmaster's people care about," another headmaster muttered stiffly.

"Not me," Severus replied. "They don't care about me."

"I do," Lily said. "All of you," she glanced around the room. "You are all important to Hogwarts, you all made your impact on the school. Without all of you, the school would not be where it is today."

"At least someone thinks so," a witch murmured with a soft smile at the girl. "You are the third Potter I would imagine?"

Lily nodded. "Yes, I'm Lily."

Severus made a startled noise and Lily turned to face him with a frown.

"Lily," Dumbledore repeated smiling. "Lovely name."

"Thank-you Sir, I was named after my grandmother."

"I thought you might."

"You knew my grandmother?"

He nodded. "A wonderful woman, you would agree Severus?"

Severus gave Dumbledore a furious look. "Yes," he said stiffly.

Lily watched Severus Snape, she knew he had saved Harry countless times because of her namesake, though she didn't know the exact reason why. Harry had felt that they were a little young to be told that his potions master had been in love with his mother.

"What house were you sorted into Lily?" Dumbledore asked her, distracting her from the portrait standing next to him.

"Ravenclaw."

"Ah."

"It pondered putting me into Gryffindor for a while actually, but I don't think I am very suited to Gryffindor. At least not the way James describes it. Or to Slytherin, it thought about it for a moment but," she shrugged and shook her head. "Ravenclaw it is. Which is good. And, at least I'm not the first of my family to not be in Gryffindor in a few generations, so it's not a problem really. It'll probably just spike more competition between us kids really, Albus and James bicker over which house will win. And then are unbearable if their house does win," she smiled realising she had started to ramble. "But yes, Ravenclaw. Us children seem to be ending up in the same house as our middle names really," she sounded amused.

"Anyway," she shot a glance at Professor McGonagall. "I should probably be getting off to bed. I don't want to oversleep. If I can find my way back to the common room," she sounded a little daunted but otherwise excited. "Goodnight headmasters, and headmistress'."

"Goodnight," a few echoed.

"Goodnight Lily," Severus and Dumbledore said at the same time.

"Goodnight Professor."

"What is her middle name Minerva?" Dumbledore asked once the girl had left. "Do you know?"

"Luna I believe, after Miss Lovegood."

"He certainly seems unable to think up more creative names," Severus muttered staring at the door where Lily had walked out of.

"He names them after people he admires and loves Severus."

Severus stared at him, and scoffed. Once again, he disappeared out of his portrait but this time he followed Lily Luna to her common room. In the darkened halls she looked like Lily Evans, and he allowed himself to imagine that she was. Lily should have been a Ravenclaw, he had always thought. Between her and Albus Severus he would never be able to forget his Lily. While James Sirius ran about the castle like he owned it, blowing everything up that stood in his way.

There may be a forth chapter coming soon, maybe. Thanks to those who have reviewed also.


	4. Harry James Potter

Another year passed, and another Potter stood outside the office, however for this Potter it wasn't his first night at Hogwarts, this Potter had been through six years at the school. This Potter was Harry Potter, and despite having been inside that office numerous times, it felt quite daunting standing outside it again. He went to knock but stopped, hearing voices coming from inside.

"I thought you said there were only three children Minerva," said the portrait of Severus Snape.

"I did."

"Then who could possibly be coming to talk to you on the first night of term?"

Harry smiled amused, he could tell already that this would be an interesting visit. He knocked on the door, and the voices behind it quietened. "Enter," came McGonagall's voice. Harry entered, some of the portraits cheered upon seeing him, other's just smiled, many were curious as to why he had felt it pertinent to visit on the first eve of term . Harry smiled at the portraits and nodded.

"Thank-you Minerva," he said.

"Always a pleasure Harry."

Harry's gaze moved to the portrait behind the desk which was beaming at him. "Professor Dumbledore," he said smiling at the portrait, he used to think quite a lot what would happen if the head master had never died, even though he knew that it was inevitable. Would the war have ended any differently?

"Harry, it's wonderful to see you again."

Harry's eyes flickered sideways to Severus' portrait who was maintaining an expression of disinterest to seeing Harry there. "Professor Snape," he said with a nod. Who nodded stiffly back at him. Old habits die hard, Harry thought.

"Well," he said to the office at large. "You've met my children by now."

"Some more so than others," Severus muttered darkly.

"Yeah..." Harry looked to McGonagall. "Sorry about that Minerva, I suppose we got what was coming to us naming him that," he said ruefully with a shake of his head.

"Nothing more than I'd expect from a Potter and a Weasley," she said. "I always thought Hogwarts wouldn't be quite as interesting without trouble makers running amok, it certainly makes things interesting."

"They certainly are their namesakes," Harry agreed. "All three of them I would think," he glanced towards the two headmasters that his second child had been named after. Dumbledore was still smiling cheerily, though Severus Snape's expression was unreadable as always.

"Thank-you," Harry said quietly. "Professor Snape. For what you did."

"I did not do it for you Potter."

"I know, but thank you all the less." He was unfazed by the cool demeanour, he knew the reason behind it. As he stood there looking so much like his father, with the smallest but a major part of his mother. "I'm sure my mother would be very proud for what you did, for her, and her son. Which is the reason why Albus' middle name was after you, though the children don't quite know the whole story yet," he was never sure when the right age to tell them would be. And he also didn't want James annoying the portrait of Severus Snape with the information, as it seemed the kind of thing he would do, as he wouldn't quite understand. "We were quite surprised when he was put into Slytherin," he said. "I have nothing against the house, not anymore. Things have changed. But still," he glanced at the sorting hat that was sitting on top of the shelf. "We thought he would choose to be in Gryffindor. I did."

"He did choose," the hat said, startling them. "But not to be put into Gryffindor. He chose Slytherin. He wanted the chance to show that the house wasn't as bad as it's made out to be. If Harry Potter's son is a Slytherin, then it can't be a bad house."

Harry frowned thoughtfully. That was something he had not thought about. "Or they'll think that we failed him somewhere," he joked. He had always just presumed that Albus had decided not to chose which house to be in, but instead had allowed the hat to place him in the house most suiting.

"Of course Potter's think they can change everything," Severus muttered, though his expression wasn't as harsh as it usually was when he criticized those with the name of Potter.

"At least one child is free from house prejudice," Harry said with an amused smile. "The stories James comes home with," he shook his head. "Almost makes me wish I was here again, I think however that I had enough adventures in my life during those seven years however. James wishes he could have those adventures sometimes, though the other two assure me that Hogwarts is eventful enough without trolls and dementors and tri-wizard cups. Never mind everything else that happened..." he looked wistful and nostalgic but shook his head. "Enough adventures for a life time," he affirmed.

"What about Lily?" Dumbledore asked, he looked amused. "What is her view on the other houses?"

"She thinks the Gryffindors are idiots," he said with a laugh. "She has little patience with them. The Slytherins annoy her, because a lot of the time she has trouble understanding their motives and what they are thinking, she can't understand them. The Hufflepuffs, while they work hard, she doesn't think they have enough ambition. They are content with where they are on the grand scale of things. It's interesting really, she's very thoughtful, and speculative, don't know where she got it to be honest," he laughed. "Not from me. That is for sure.

"James just thinks that Gryffindor is the best and the others don't matter," he said with an amused smile. "Al, he thinks all of the houses are important. He gets into arguments over it with James. Over their houses. He'll defend his house to his death. But he still thinks that each house has important people, and reasons for them. He's the most open minded about the three of them, more than I was I think. They're quite opposite the three of them really. It's interesting."

"They reflect their namesakes quite a bit," Dumbledore murmured. "Or part of them does."

Harry nodded. "They do really, Ginny has joked about having another child, and naming him or her after a Hufflepuff."

"Why did you choose the names you did Harry?" Dumbledore asked, glancing at Severus as he spoke.

"Because, it seemed like the right thing to do. To name them after people who were special, or who affected our lives greatly. People we admired," he shrugged watching the two headmasters. He was quiet for a few moments. "I should be off, before Hogwarts notices I'm here and something disastrous happens," he smiled amused. "Goodbye Professor Dumbledore, a pleasure to see you again. Professor Snape," he nodded. "Again, my thanks. I'll never forget what you did." He nodded in return to Harry, but said nothing as Harry thanked Professor McGonagall for both allowing him entry to the school, and for his children to visit the portraits on their first night. "Thank-you," he said again, before he walked out. But this time it was just in general. "I couldn't have done what I did, without the help that this place, and you, gave me."

"Goodbye Harry," Severus Snape murmured once he had left the room. It was strange, after all of those years to see the boy whom he had sacrificed everything for. That he lied and deceived to save. A boy whom he thought he had sentenced to death when he gave him his memories. The boy who lived, who was no longer a boy. Who had managed what he had not. The last thing he had seen before he had died. He would never get away from those Potters. Even in his death.


End file.
